CritterTrack

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  • Coyotes Finding New Home in Downtown Chicago

    Coyotes usually try to avoid human contact. Yet animal experts say an increasing number of coyotes are setting up shop in one of most dense urban labyrinths: downtown Chicago. The seemingly incongruous marriage between coyotes and a people-packed habitat has occurred naturally, according to Stan Gehrt, an Ohio State University professor who specializes in coyote research in Cook County. Gehrt said he and his team know of no deliberate efforts to release coyotes into the downtown area.

    https://coyotetrack.org/resource/coyotes-finding-new-home-downtown-chicago

    Source: Chicago Tribune

  • Chicago’s Urban Coyotes

    An interview with researcher Dr. Stan Gehrt of The Ohio State University featuring information and video on coyote adaptations to urban habitats, risks to humans and mortality and survival rates of urban coyotes. (11 mins)

    https://coyotetrack.org/resource/chicagos-urban-coyotes

    Source: WTTW 11 • Chicago Tonight • Chicago’s Urban Coyotes

  • Map yourself: technologies to track people

    Create a visualization map that tracks your activities at regular times throughout the day or week. When designing a wildlife tracking program, researchers need to determine several things. For example, the tracking collars on the coyotes in the Visualizer send signals at the same specific times each day to mark the animals’ locations. Why do you think those times were selected? How many times and at what specific time(s) of day will you document your location? Why? 

    Share your map with others and see what they can infer about your travels and locations.

    Technologies exist that enable us to track people or vehicles remotely. Can you find examples? Why would people want information on the location of other people or vehicles?

  • What other technologies exist for tracking animals?

    Research other animals that are tracked and determine if the methodology / technology is the same or different. If different, why?  Select an animal species you would be interested in tracking. What method would you use and why? What would you hope to learn from tracking your animals?

  • What else can be learned from trapping coyotes?

    In addition to learning about the habits and movements of coyotes, wildlife biologists often gather other data on animals they trap and release.

    Click on the information icon (i) for each coyote in the Visualizer. What data was collected? What samples were taken? Why do you think this data is important to wildlife biologists? How might the data assist the Department of Natural Resources in establishing rules and regulations for hunting or trapping coyotes?

    Create a chart or graph using data gathered on the coyotes when they were trapped. 

    If you were tracking coyotes, what would you want to learn?

  • How does satellite tracking technology work?

    Satellite tracking is used to generate the data for the coyotes represented in the Visualizer. Research how the technology works. What powers it? How long will it last? Do you think this technology is the best suited for tracking coyotes? Why or why not? If you were designing or engineering a trap and track technology, how would you improve upon it?

  • Design a coyote territory and habitat

    Using art materials or computer generated graphics, design a scale representation of what you think an ideal habitat and territory would be for a coyote. Incorporate the elements a coyote needs to survive. Using the data obtained from the Visualizer, what would be the size of your created territory?

  • What does a coyote need to survive or thrive?

    Study each territory in the Visualizer and determine where a coyote would find the things it needs to survive. Do you think the territories vary in biodiversity? If so, how might that affect the coyotes and the size of their territory?

  • Establishing coyote territories and the effects of human impact

    Examine the territories of the coyotes in the Visualizer. Do you think there are physical boundaries that define their territory? Do you think there are social boundaries (interactions with other coyotes or humans) that define the territories? Why might a coyote use a smaller or larger territory than a coyote in a different area? How do coyotes identify their territories or recognize territories of other coyotes? Do coyotes defend their territory?

    If a new road is planned that will bisect one of the coyote territories, how do you think this will impact the coyotes? 

  • The family life of coyotes

    Using the Visualizer, study the travel patterns of the adult coyotes during different weeks or seasons. Research the life history of coyotes to learn when coyotes mate and have pups. 

    Can you infer or determine:

    • When the coyotes represented in the Visualizer mate or have pups?
    • When the pups leave their den?  
    • How long pups stay with the adults in the same territory?

    When coyote pups mature and disperse out of their original home territory, where do you think they go? Why do you think they don’t stay in their original home territory? Some young adult coyotes, however, do stay for several years within their parents’ territory. What role do you think they play in the family group? Do coyotes hunt or travel in packs or are they solitary?